mcdonnell



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1. R. T. REID & J. L. MQDONNELL.

TELEPHONE SYSTEM.

No. 605,341. Patented June '7, 1898 mml v i ifi l l l l l [N VEN T 0R5,

v cams Pcvzns co. PHOTO-LITHOU WASNINGTO (No Model.)

4 SheetsSheet 2.

R. T. REID & J. L. MQDONNELL. TELEPHONE SYSTEM.

Patented June 7,1898

.El El Y El El El a 2351 WITNESSES ZNVENTORS 4 C77 fm y mm F---lll[lil llllllllllllllk (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet .3.

R. T. REID & J. L. MODONNELL.

TELEPHONE SYSTEM.

Patented June "7, 1898.

W/TI VESSES INVENTORS (No Model.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

B. T. REID & J. L. MODONNELL. TELEPHONE SYSTEM.

No. 605,341. Patented June 7, .1898.

1 m M I I HFJ I I I 4 Attorney N-rrn TATES ROBERT Rein ANDJAKMES MoDONNELL, or TACOMA, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNORS or ONE-HALF TO FRA K o. CARDIN AND JOHN '1. 13188, or

SAME. PLACE.

TELEPHONE SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 605,341, dated June '7, 1898.

Application filed $eptember 25, 1897. Serial No. 653,073.- (N model.) i

.To all whom, it may concern:

Be it'known that we, ROBERT T. REID and JAMES L. McDoNNELL, of Tacoma, in the county of Pierce and State ofVVashington,

have invented certain new and useful Improvemen ts inTelephone Systems; and we do herebydeclare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the'art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an improvement in telephoilesysterns, and more particularly to means for calling individual subscribers and permitting them to have the exclusive I 5 and undisturbed use of the line, one object of the invention being to provide simple and efficient means for calling any subscriber on a party-line without sounding the signals of other subscribers.

A further object is to provide a simple and effectual lock-out device whereby the line can be restricted to the use of any one subscriber to the exclusion of the others.

A further object is to provide a telephone system which shall be 'comparatively simple in construction andarrangement and which shall be effectual in all respects in the performance of its functionsfi With these objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, as hereinafter set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is 5 a diagrammatical' view. Fig. 2 is a view showing .two party-lines connected together at the central ofiice. Fig. 3 is a view illustrating the signal-transmitter andcircuits connected therewith. Figs. 4c, 5, and 6 are viewsillustratingt-he signal-controller. Figs: 7 and 8 are views illustrating switchboard connections. 9 is "alview showing the signal-controllers arranged in series and the signal-bells arranged in local circuits. Fig.

wires and the ground.

tratingtlie telephones and signal-controllers arranged in series.

A B represent the conductorsof a partyline, between which the subscribers telephones and lock-out devices arefarranged in paralleh'as hereinafter morespecifically described.

"In Fig. l of the drawings the wire A is shown connected with a switch 1, provided with two contact-points 2 3, and the wire B is shown connected with a double-contact key 4. One contact-point 5 of the key is connected, through an annunciator 6 and a battery 7, with the contact-point 2 of the switch 1, and the other contact-point 8 of the key is connected, through an electric generator 9, with the. ground. The other contact-point 3 of the switch 1 is connected with ake'y'll, and the latter is electrically connected with an-- other key 12. The contact-point 13 of the key 11 is connected, through a resistance 14 and a battery 15, with the ground, while the contact-point 16 of key 12 is connected, through said battery alone, with the ground.

A signal-bell C and a signal-controller D are 7 5 located at each subscribers station. In constructing thecontroller D we employ a suitable base 1'7, on which a frame or standard 18 is located. Electromagnets 19 and 20 are disposed at opposite sides of the frame or standard 18 and supported in horizontal positions in any suitable manner. The coil of the magnet 20 is of low resistance, while the coil of the magnet 19 is of comparatively high resistance, and said magnets are included in series with each other in a multiple-arc circuit between the line conductor A and the ground. A shaft 21 is' loosely mounted at the top of standard 18 and carries an escapelnent-wheel 22, with which escapement-dogs 9o 23 24 at the upper end of a lever 25 are adapted to engage and cause the rotation of said escapement-wheel and the shaft 2l when the lever 25 is vibrated. The lever25 is pivot-ally supported in the standard 18 at a point below the electromagnet 19 and maintained, by means of a spring 26, normally so disposed that the dog 2% of the pallet will be in en gagement with the escapementwheel and the dog 23 out of engagement with said wheel. An [00 armature 27 for the magnet 19 is secured to the lever 25 at a point above the pivotal sup; port of the latter, so that when the magnet is energized by an intermittent or pulsatory current the lever 25 will be moved in one direction by the magnet and in the other direction by the spring-26, the vibration of said lever resulting, as is obvious, in the rotation of the escapement-wheel and the shaft to which it is secured. A toothed wheel 28 is also secured to the loose shaft 21, and with said toothed wheel contact-arms 29 are adjustably connected by means of pins 30 on said arms. The contact-arms may be adj ustably attached to the shaft 21 in some other manner, if de-v sired, without departing from the spirit of our I invention.

Pins 31 project in diametrically opposite directions from the shaft 21, and the contactrarms 29 of the respective controllers are arranged at different angles to the cooperating pins 31, so that a predetermined eX- tent of rotation of the shaft 21 of each controller will bring a contact-arm 29 in proper.

screws 33 34, located at the respective sides The lever 32 is 37 is secured to move with the lever 32 and is provided at its free end with a hook 38, norinally disposed in the path of movement of the stop-pins 31. The contact-spring 36 is connected with the ground, as shown in Fig. 1, and the toothed wheel 28, and consequently the contact-arms 29, are connected, through the electromagnets of the electric hell 0, with the line-wire B.

The switch 1, hereinbefore referred to, is

normally thrown to the left on contact-point 12. f When the switch is in this position, the closing of a subscribers multiple-arc telephone-circuit by the removal of the hand phone from, the switch-arm will result in the establishment of a circuit from the battery 7 through said switch, the subscribers telephone-circuit, the key 4, and annunciator 6., thus causing the latter to drop and denote that a subscriber has called.

To call a Jarticular subscriber the o era tor will move the switch 1 to the right onto contact-point He will then press the key 12,-so as to cause a heavy current from the battery 15 to pass over the wire A, to which the signal-controller magnets are connected. This current will energize the magnets of all the signal-controllers. The magnets 20 of the controllers in attracting their arinatures battery 15 through resistance 14 and causing a light current to pass over the line-wire A and through the magnet-coils of the signal-controllers. The current now flowing through the circuit of the signal-controllers will not energize the core of the low-resistance coarse-wire magnot sufficiently to cause it to move its armature; but said current will result in energizing the fine-wire high-resistance magnet sufficiently to cause it to move its armature and the lever to which said armature is secured. The reason of this is apparent when it is remembered that the strength of an electromagnet is determined by the number of ampere-turns in its coil, and therefore when a weak current flows through a fine-wire coil having a large number of convolutions and a coarse-wire coil having a comparatively small number of convolutions andplaced in series with the fine-wire coil the core of the fine-Wire magnet will be stronger (on account of the greater number of ampere-turns) than the coarse-wire magnet. The passage of the light electric current over the circuit of the signal-controllers will therefore result in a further rotation of the shaft 21 and the contact-arms 29 carried thereby. ,By interrupting the light current by means of the key 11 the shaft 21 and contact-arms 29, carried thereby, will be moved step by step, in accordance with the number of times the circuit is made and broken by the key 11, until a con- I full electromotive force of the battery on the,

circuit of the signal-controllers, thereby causing the magnets 20 to attract their armatures and move the contact-springs .36 toward the contact-arms 29 and causing electrical contact to be made between the contactspring and contact-arm of the controller in which the contact-arm has been set, as above explained. An openf circuit will be thus completed from the magneto-generator 9 at the central office, .the key 4-, the line-wire B, the signal-bell magnet at the subscribers station, the contact-arms, the contact-spring 30, and then to the ground. The operator will now close the key 4, so as to cause a pulsatory current to flow. on the circuit above traced and result in sounding the bell at the subscribers station to the exclusion of all the other bells on the party-line. After the sub trollers reach and are stopped by the respective stop-arms 37, when the contact-arms 29 of the respective controllers will be again in their normal positions.

While the signaling devices may he manipulated by means of the keys and switch at the central office, as above described, we prefer to operate and control said devices in a quicker, more accurate, and surer manner by means of an apparatus located at the central office, which apparatus maybe termed a signal-transmitter.

In constructing ourimproved signal-transmitter E we employ a suitable box orcasing 39, in which a springmotor 40 is located, said motor being provided with an escapement 41 to regulate its operation. is secured to the shaft43 of the motor, and concentric with the movement of the free ends of said arm a perforated plate 44 is secured to the frame or casing 39. The shaft 43 of the motor also carries a toothed wheel 45, which, with a spring-contact arm 46, con-,

stitutes a circuit-breaker. The contact-arm 46 is insulated from the frame of the motor and is connected with one pole of battery 15, the other poleofsaid battery being grounded, as shown in Fig. Aspring-arm 47 bears continuously against the shaft 43 of the motor, so as to electrically connect the make-and? break wheel in circuit with the line-wire A and resistance 14. A lever 49 is pivotally connected at a point between its ends to the frame or casing 39 and provided at one end with a knob 50. The other end of the lever 49 is provided with a tooth 51, which is nor mally engaged by and forms a stop for the double arm 42. The relation between the toothed end of lever 49 and the double arm 42 is such that when said arm is in engagement with the tooth the free end of the spring: contact arm 46 will be disposed between two of the teeth of wheel 45, and thus the circuit, including said wheel and contact-arm,

will be normally open. The stop-lever 49 of signaltransmitter E at the central office is connected, through battery 7 and annunciator 6, with the line-wire B. Thus when a subscriber removes his hand-phone from its switch-arm a circuit will be closed, including battery 7, anunnciator 6, stop-lever 49, double contact-arm 42, wheel 45, and the linewires A and B, and result in causing the drop of the annunciator. One end of the coil of an electromagnet 52 is electrically connected with the perforated'plate 44, and the other end of said coil is connected with the linewire ,A. The armature-lever 53 of, the magnet 52 is maintained normally in contact with A double 'arm 42" a stop-screw 54 by means of a spring 55 above said lever, and the stop-screw 56 under said lever is electrically connected with the magneto-generator 9. electrically connected with the line-wire B. A spring-contact arm 57 is located between one end of the perforated plate 44 and the toothed end of the lever 49, said contact-arm 57 being in the path of movement of the double arm 42 and electrically connected with theline-wire A. The perforations of the plate 44 are numbered consecutively to correspond with the calls of the various subscribers on a party-line, and in one or another of said holes a pin 58 is placed, so as to bein the path of movement of the ends of the double arm 42 and stop said double arm and the makeand-break wheel 45 when the step-by-step devices of the controllers shall have operated to place the cbntroller of the desired subscriber in proper position for calling.

When itis desired to call a subscriber on a party-line, the operator will first insert the pin 58 in the proper hole or socket in the plate 44 and then move the lever 49, so as to release the double arm 42 and the springmotor. The double arm 42 and wheel 45 will then commence to move a tooth of the wheel 45, riding under and in contact with the contact-arm 46, and one end of the double arm 42, simultaneously engaging the contact-arm 57. Thus as the arm 42 and wheel 45 move aheavy current from battery 15 will flow over the circuit in which the signal-controllers are included and cause the magnet 20 to operate to release the stop-arms 37 from the stop-pins 31, as hereinbefore explained. The

circuit just described can be traced from the battery 15 to c0ntact-arm 46, through Wheel 45 to double arm 42, to contact-arm 57, to line, and through controller-magnets to ground. As the double arm 42 and wheel 45 continue their movements the former will ride past the contact-arm 57 and another tooth of the wheel will ride under the contact-arm 46. The arm 42 having broken contact with the arm 57, the resistance 14 will be nolonger short-circuited, but will now be included in a circuit with the wire, A, (with'jwhich the signal-controllers are connected,) the wheel 45, contact-arm 46, and battery 15. Thus as the wheel, 45 continues to rotate its teeth will pass under and make electrical contact with thearm 46, so as to make and break the circuit of the signal-controllers, and thus causea pulsatory current to flow over said circuit to effect the step-by-step movement of the sigual controllers until the double arm 42 engages the pin 58, when the contactarm in the controller of the subscriber to be called is in the proper position. The contact of the arm 42 with the pin 58 places the electro: magnet 52 (which is of comparatively low resistance) in a shunt-circuit around the resistance 14 and thus causes a heavy current toflowoverth'e circuitof the signal-con: trollers, whereby tocause the magnet 20 to The armature-lever 53 is IIO move the lever 32 and bring the contactspring 36 into contact with the contact-arm 29 of the controller at the subscribers station to be called. The contact of the arm 42 of the transmitter with the pin 58 also causes the magnet 52 to be energized and operate the armature-lever, so as to close the circuit of the magneto generator to the line B and through the signal-bell, as before explained. The subscriber having been called, the operator will remove the pin 58 and thus permit the operation of the spring-motor to bring the arm 42again into engagement with the stop-lever 49 and the controller-circuit to be made and broken to bring the controllers to their normal positions, as hereinbefore explained.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 9 the magnets of the several controllers on the line are arranged in series, while the signal-magnets of the various subscribers are .each arranged in local circuits,.including .ments of circuits and devices shown in Figs.

9 and 10.

In Fig. 11 several telephones 60 are shown arranged in series with several signal-controllers 61. Condensers 62 are placed in shunts aroundthe coils of the magnets of the signal-controllers to reduce the self-ind uction on the circuit, so that the telephones will work satisfactorily. In this figure only the transmitters of the telephones and the coils of the controller-magnets are shown.

In Fig. 7 is shown the connections of a switch-cord at the central office. The signal- .transmitter is shown at E. A double-throw The opdouble-pole switch is shown at 63. erators telephone is shown at 64 and the listening-key at 65, by means of which latter the operators telephone may be put into circuit. At 66 and 67 double conductor plugs or wedges are shown attached to cords. These plugs or wedges always connect in the springjaeks, so that wires A and A always connect with the controller-wires A, and B and B with the bell-wires B. WVhen a subscriber calls, the operator inserts plug (37 in the proper spring-jack, presses down the listening-key, and learns the number required, at the same time throwing the switch (33 to the left, cutting in his transmitter. He then inserts plug 66 in the spring-jack of the line required and operates his signal-transmitter,

as above explained, to ring the proper bell,

after which he throws the switch 63 to the right, connecting the lines, so that two subscribers can converse. annunciator is shown, and at 69 a battery is illustrated for operating the same. The selfinduction of the annunciator prevents the talking-circuit from being short-circuited or crossed through it and the battery. It is At 68 a ring-off evident that in place of the switch 63 and the inserted into it the annunciator and the bat-,

tery will be disconnected from the wires A and 13 and the latter connected to the ringoff annunciator and the battery, as above explained.

In order to provide a simple and efficient means whereby to lock out all subscribers but the one having use of the line, so that when one subscriber is using the line others cannot interrupt or hear his conversation, the devices now to be described will be employed.

F, Fig. 1, represents the hanger or switcharm of the subscribers telephone and is pivotally supported at or near its center, one end of said hanger or arm being made with a hook 72 and the other end being beveled, as at 73. An electromagnet is shown at 74 and provided with a polarized armature 75, pivotally supported at 76. An arm 77 projects from the center of the armature at right angles thereto, said arm being provided at its free end with a beveled tooth 7S, normally disposed under the beveled end of the switcharin F. The arm 77 plays between stops 79 80 and is held normally against the stop 79 of contact with the contact-screw 82, which forms a part of the local telephone-circuit.

\Vhen the hand-phone is removed from the the hanger or switch-arm to rise toward the contact-screw 82 and the beveled end to descend and make contact with the tooth 78 at the upper end of the arm 7 7 This completes the circuit of the line-wires A and B through the switch-arm or hanger F, arm 77, electromagnet 74, annunciator 6, and battery 7., If the current is of the right polarity, the arm 77 will move from under the beveled end of the switch-arm or hanger F, allowing the now be disposed above the beveled end of the switch-arm or hanger, which has descended. When the hand-phone is again hung up, the

.beveled end of the switcharm or hanger F will ride past the tooth 7 S of arm 77, pushing it away momentarily, and said switch-arm or hanger will assume itsnormal position out of contact with the contact-screw 82, thus break-= ing the circuit through the subscribers telephone. 7

Should a current of the opposite polarity pass through the coils of the magnet 74: when the l1and-phone is removed and the beveled end of the switch-arm or hanger F makes contact with the tooth 78 of arm 77, the latter will remain against the stop 7 9, keeping the tooth 78 in the path of the beveled end of the switch-arm or hanger F, so that the hooked end of the latter cannot rise and make contact with the contact-screw 82, thus keeping the subscribers telephone locked out. The battery 7, which is kept on the line when it is not in use, has its poles so connected that when a subscriber takes down his hand-phone the current through his lock-out magnet 74 (when the beveled end of the switch-arm or hanger makes contact with the tooth 78 of arm 77) will be in the proper direction to cause the movement of tooth 78 of arm 77 out of the path of the beveled end of the switch-arm or hanger, thus allowing the subscriber to cut in his telephone and drop the annunciator 6. The ring-off battery (shown in Figs. 7 and 8) is connected oppositely from the battery 7, so that while it is in use if a subscriber should take down his hand-phone the direction of the current through his lock-out magnet 74 will be such that the tooth 7 8 of arm 77 will remain in the path of the beveled end of the switch-arm or hanger and keep his telephone cut out.

In Fig. 2 are theoretically shown two partylines (GH and G H) connected together at the central office. In Fig. 1 Wire A is connected with the positive poles of battery 7 and wire B to the negative poles thereof. In Fig. 2 wires G and G (corresponding to the wires A of two lines) are connected to the negative plate of the battery, and the wires H H (corresponding to the wires B of two lines) are connected to the positive pole of said battery.

Our improvements are comparatively simple in construction, easy to manipulate, and eit'ectual in all respects in the performance of their functions.

Various slight changes other than those above enumerated may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of our invention or limiting its scope, and hence we do not wish to limit ourselves to the precise details herein set forth.

Having fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, isi 1. In a telephone system, the combination with a party-line and subscribers signal, of a controller for each signal, each controller having a normally open circuit-closer for controlling the circuit of the subscribers signal, a step-by-step device for each circuit-closer, having a part adapted to move always in the same direction, an electromagnet of high resistance for operating said step-by-step device, a stop device adapted to arrest the circuit-closer of each controller, a magnet of low resistance in series with the high-resistance magnet for controlling said stop device and devices at the central office for controlling current through the coils of said magnets whereby to cause one signal-controller at a time to close the circuit of the cooperating subscribers signal, substantially as set forth. 2. In a telephone system, the combination with a party-line and subscribers signals, of a controller for each signal, each controller comprising a circuit-closer in a normally open circuit for controlling the cooperating signal, stop devices, step-by-step devices having a part to move always in the same direction, an electromagnet for operating the circuit closer and step-by-step devices, an'elect-romagnet of lower resistance than the first-mentioned one for operating the stop devices to release the circuit-closer, said magnets being included in series with each other in a multiple-aro circuit and means at the central office for causing currents of different electromotive force to flow over the circuit of-said electromagnets, substantially as set forth.

3. In a telephone system, the combination with a party-line and subscribers signals, of a controller for each signal, each controller comprising a circuit'closer for controlling the circuit of the cooperating subscribers signal, a step-bystep device for operating said circuit-closer, an electromagnet for operating said circuit-closer, a stop device for the-circuit-closer, an electromagnet for operating said stop device and of lower resistance than the first-mentioned magnet, coils ofsaid magnets being arranged in series, a generator at the central office, a resistance at the central office and devices at the central office for including said resistance in the circuit of said magnets and battery at one time and for excluding said resistance from said circuit at another time, substantially as set forth.

4. In a telephone system, the combination with two conductors of a party-line and telephones included in parallel between said conductors, of a signal-controller at each subscribers station, each controller comprising a normally open circuit-closer, step-by-step devices for operating said circuit-closer,highresistance electromagnetic devices for operating said step-by-step devices, stop devices for the circnit-closer and low-resistance electromagnetic devices for controlling said stop devices and included in series with the high-resistance electromagnetic devices, a signal in a multiple-arc circuit from one of the line conductors to the ground and including said circuit-closer, devices at the central office for causing currents of different electromotive force to How over the circuit of said electromagnetic devices, and means for causing a pulsatory current to pass over the circuit of the 1nultiple-arc circuit including the subscribers signal and circuit-closer, substantially as set forth.

5. In a telephone system, the combination with a party-line and subscribers signals, of a controller-for each signal, each controller comprising a circuit-closer, a step-by-step device for operating said circuit-closer, a lock device for the circuit-closer, electromagnet-s for the step-by-step devices and the lock devices respectively, a signal-transmitter at the central office comprising a make-and-break wheel, an arm carried thereby, a contact-arm to engage the make-and-break wheel, a locklever for the arm carried by the make-andbreak Wheel, means for stopping said arm and the make-and-break wheel at the desired point, a normally open circuit including one line-wire, the make-and-break wheel, the eontact-arm which cooperates therewith, a resista controller for each signal each controller comprising a step -by-step circuit-closer, a lock device, an electromagnet of high resistance to operate the step-by-step circuit-closer, an electromagnet of low resistance to operate the lock and complete the circuit through the circuit-closer and signal, a transmitter at the central oflice for operating said signal-controllers, said transmitter comprising a motor, a make-and-break wheel and a double arm carried by the shaft of said motor, a contactwire and cooperating with the double arm to short-circuit said resistance, a plate having a series of sockets or perforations, a metallic pin to enter one or another of said sockets or perforations whereby to stop the double arm and niake-and-break wheel, an electromagnet included in circuit with said plate and said line-wire and an armature-lever for said magnet'included in a normally open circuit with the other line-wire and a magneto-generator, substantially as set forth.

7. In a telephone system, the combination with the conductors of a party-line, of a series of telephones arranged in parallel between said conductors, a switch-arm for each multi ple-arc telephone-circuit, an electrom agnet, a polarized armature for said magnet, an arm 011 said armature normally disposed under one end of said switch-arm, and a circuit in parallel with the telephone-circuit and including said electromagnet, the arm on the armature thereof and said switch-arm, substantially as set forth.

8. In a telephone system, the combination with the conductors of a party-line, of a series of telephones arranged in normally open cir- --cuits in parallel between the line conductors,

a switch-arm or hanger forming part of each telephone-circuit and beveled at one end, an electromagnet, a polarized armature therefor, an arm projecting from said armature and having a tooth at its free end normally disposed under the beveled end of the switcharm or hanger and a circuit in parallel with the telephone-circuit and including said electromagnet, the arm on the armature thereof, the switch-arm or hanger and said line c011- ductors, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT" T. REID. JAMES L. MoDONNELL. \Vitn'esses:

R. J. DAVIS, ROBERT WINGATE. 

